eodgers



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

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GAR FENDER.

mann. n HAMM,PuOw-UTHaWASFXNGTmi an UNITED. STATES 'PATENT -rricn JAMEST. RODGERS AND VILLIAM L. CROVSON, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNORS OFONE-HALF TO E. YV. SMlTl-l AND KIRK ALLEN, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,927, dated January14, 1896.

Application filed April 2, 1895. Serial No. 544,202. (No modell) TocaZZ- whom it muy concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES T. RODGERS and VILLIAM L. CROWSON, citizensof the United States, residing at Memphis, in the 5 county of Shelby andState of Tennessee, have invented anew and useful Car-Fender, of whichthe following is aspcciioation.

rlhe invention relates to improvements in car-fenders. Y

m The object of the present invention is to provide a car-fender adaptedfor use on all kinds of cars and locomotives, but particularly designedfor use in connection with cable and electric street-railways, andcapable 15 of preventing a person or other object from coming in contactwith the wheels of a car.

Another object of the invention is to provide a car-fender adapted to bemounted on a truck to avoid the up-and-down motion of 2o the body or acar, and capable of cushioning the blow incident to strikinga person orother object, and of throwing such person or object to one side ot" thetrack out of the way of the car or train.

A further object of the invention is to apply the bra-ke and sand thetrack simultaneously with the operation of the fender and automaticallyto stop the ear or check the speed sutlieiently to lessen materially theshock.

3o The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

35 in the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a car-fender constructedin accordance with this invention and shown applied to a truck. Fig. 2is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional viewillustrating the con- 4o struction of the screw and the nuts forresetting the spring-actuated levers. Fig. l is a detail sectional view.illustrating the manner of feathering or keying the levers in the'swiveled guides or eyes. Fig. 5 is a detail 4 5 view of the latch.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

l designates a cardender composed of two 5o sections 2 located inadvance of a car, and converging forward from the sides of the end at lOto the same.

track to the center thereof, and having their rear or outer endshingedly mounted,whereby the sections are adapted to open or spread andswing outward to carry a person or other 5 5 object oit the track andout of the way of the ear, and thereby prevent any liability ot' aperson or other object coming in contactwith the wheels of the car orthe motor mechanism thereof. Each fender-section is provided 6o with aframe 3 composed of horizontal bars l connected by vertical posts 5,andterminating at their rear or outer ends in eyes G arranged onvertically-disposed pintle-rods 7 carried by the truck S. On each frame3 and in advance 6 5 of the same is a yieldingly-mounted iront portionor cushion 9, constructed of any suit-able material, and substantiallythe same size and shape of the frame 23, and hinged at its inner Thecushion or guard 7o 9 is arranged at an angle to the frame 3 of thesection, divergin g rearwardly, and having its rear end connected withthe frame by a series ot rods ll on which are arranged spiral springs 2,and the rods ll have their front ends se- 7 5 cured to the inner facesof the guards or cush` ions 9,and their rear en ds are loosely arrangedin openings or perforations of the outer post 5 and provided with nuts,whereby the tension of the springs may be regulated. 8o

Should a person or other oh j ect come in oontact with the fender at apoint at either side of the track, the adjacent cushion or guard wouldbe compressed or moved rearward and inward to cushion the blow, and itsObliquity S5 would be increased, and the person or object would beforced laterally beyond the track and out of the way of the car. Assoon. as the pressure is removed from the cushion or guard thecompressed springs opera-te to re- 9o turn the cushion or guard to itsnormal position. This construction will prevent a person or other objectat one side of the track from being struck by the car and thrown downupon the track and run over. 95

The frames 3 of the fender-sections have mounted on them horizontal rods13, secured at their ends to the posts 5, and forming ways or guides forsliding sleeves le, which are hingedly connected by pivots l5 withlongiron tudinally-disposed levers 16. The levers 16 are looselyarranged in swiveled guides or eyes 17, forming fulcrums for the levers,and located intermediate of the ends thereof, and the rear ends 1S ofthe levers are angularly bent and laterally offset, and are connect-edby a heavy spiral spring 19, adapted to swing the rear portions of thelevers 16 inward and the front portions thereof outward, to open orspread the sections of the fender, to sweep a person or other object offthe track out of the way of the car.

The guide 17 consists of an eye to receive the lever and a disk 2Oarranged in a bearingopening of the supporting-framework and adapted toturn or rotate therein to permit a swinging movement of the levers 16.The levers are preferably constructed of rod metal; but any suitablematerial can be employed, and they are capable of longitudinal move mentin the guides 17, and to prevent them from twisting they are keyed orfeathered at the bottom.

The rear portions of the levers 1G are held separated to distend theconnecting-spring 19, and to set the device by a transverse rod 21journaled in suitable bearings of the supporting-framework, and providedwith stops 22, preferably composed of rollers projecting upward from thetransverse rod 21, and engaging the inner faces of the levers andholding the same separated. vWhen the levers are set they are parallel,and they are held again st forward movement by collars 23, arranged inrear of the guides 17 and provided with setscrews for securing them atthe desired adjustment. Spiral spring, 2l are disposed on the frontportions of the levers, and have their rear ends bearing against theguides 17, and the front ends of the springs are engaged by nuts 25,arranged on threaded portions 2G of the levers, and adapted forregulating the tension of the springs 2l.

The springs 24: operate to cushion the sections of the fender, and whena person or other object in the middle of the track comes in contactwith the fender the levers 1G are moved rearward, the force of the blowbeing cushioned by the springs 2l, and projections 27, near the rearends of the levers, are carried in contact with the stops 22 of thetransverse rod 21, and swing the stops downward, and thereby release therear portions of the levers. As soon as the rear portions of the leversare released the spring 19 suddenly contracts and swings the sections ofthe fender outward. The projections 27 preferably consist of rollersmounted on sleeves 2S, provided with setscrews for securing them at thedesired adjustment.

The rear portions of the levers are moved outward for setting by atransversely-disposed screw 29, journaled in suitable bearings, andprovided with right and left hand screwthreads, and carrying nuts 30,and the latter are held against rotation by a rod 31, whereby when thescrew is rotated in one direction t-he nuts will be moved outward andwill carry with them the levers. After the rear portions of the levershave been sufficiently spread, the transverse rod 21 is rotated to swingthe stops 22 upward into engagement with the levers, and the screwisthen reversely rotated to return the nuts to their initial position atthe center of the screw. The screw has an extension 32 with a squaredouter end for the reception of a crank-handle, and the adjacent end ofthe transverse rod 21 is similarly squared to receive a handle forrotating it to swing the stops 22 upward. rllhe teriuinals of the spring19 are attached to perforated ears of sleeves 33, which are secured tothe rear ends of the levers.

Simultaneously with the tripping of the levers the brake of the car isapplied, and the track is sanded, and to accomplish this result alongitudinally-disposed spiral spring 34 is mounted in a guide 35, andis located at the side of the car where the brake-rod or connectionsbetween the brake shaft or levers and the brake-beams are disposed. Thefront end of the spring is secured to the front ci the guide, which isoblong, and the rear end of the spring 34C is attached to a slidingblock 36, adapted to move back and forth in the guide The sliding block3G is provided at its front side with a perforated ear for the receptionof the end of the spring 3l, and it has a similar ear at its rear side,and linked into the latter is a chain S7. The spring 3l is designed tobe distended, and this is accomplished by winding the free end of thechain 37 around a drum or spool 3S of a short shaft 39, and the slidingblock is automatr cally locked when it has reached the rearward limit ofits movement by a latch 40. After the block has been set through itsengagement with the latch the chain is disconnected from the drum orspool, which operates as a windlass, and it is designed to be connectedwith the brake mechanism, whereby when the sliding block is tripped thecontraction of the spring will apply the brake. The outer end of thewindlass-shaft 39 is squared, and is adapted to receive a crank-handleto enable the chain to be readily wound on the spool or drum to distendthe spring.

The latch 40 is disposed transversely of the guide 35, and its outer endis beveled at the front side, and it is composed of two sectionsconnected at their inner ends by a hinge l1. arranged at the rear sideof the latch. )i sprin g 42 holds the sections normally in alignment toprovide a straight latch-bar; but the sliding block 3G in movingrearward is adapted to engage the outer section of the latch` and swingthe same rearward, and pass it. After the sliding block passes thelatch, the outer section is returned to its normal position by thespring 42, and the latch is provided with a laterally-offset arm 43,carried bythe inner section of the latch and arranged parallel with thelatch, and located in advance of a stop or support 43a, interposedbetween the arm 43 and the inner section of the latch. The inner end ofthe latch is connected with lOO the adjacent lever 1G, and is providedwith an eye for the reception of the saine, andY when the lever is swunginward after it has been tripped the latch is withdrawn from itsengagement with the sliding block and swings inward away from thesupport or stop tlj. rlhe inner end of the latch is loosely connectedwith the adjacent lever 16, topermit thc same to move rearward, and whenthe latch is withdrawn from its engagement with the sliding block 3G thespring 34E is free to act on the brake mechanism and to apply the brake.lll/hen the levers are again set the latch is automatically returned inposition for engaging the sliding block.

A flexible connection, such as a rope 44: or the like, has one endattached to the sliding bloclr 36, and its other end is detachablysecured to the cut-orf or slide of a sand-box 45, located in advance ofthe adjacent wheel. W'hen the slide 3G is carried forward by thecontraction of the spring 34:, it operates the slide or cut-off of thesand-box and sands the rail, and increases the effectiveness of thebrake.

The supporting framework for mounting c the operating mechanism on thetruck consists of sides i6 and cross-pieces 47. The sides are composedof parallel bars separated by spacing sleeves or blocks and thecross-pieces l? are also composed of parallel bars and are connected bylongitudinal braces i8.

The adjacent ends of the sections 2 of the car-fender are slightlyseparated, to enable them to be readily swung inward withoutcontracting, and one of the sections carries an extension if), extendingacross the space between the front ends of the sections, to prevent aperson or other object from coming in contact with the ends of thesections.

ltwill be seen that the car-fender is simple and comparativelyinexpensive in construction, that it is adapted to be readily applied toall kinds of cars or locomotives, and that it is particularly applicableto electric and cable street-railways.

It will also be apparent that by being mounted on the truck theup-and-down inotion of the body of the car is not communicated to it,and that it is capable of effectually preventing a person or otherobject from getting' under the wheels of a car. The application of thebrake and the sanding of the rail is automatic, and it materiallylessens the shock and prevents injury to a person contacting with thefender.

Another advantageous feature of the invention is the construction andarrangement of the cushions or guards which prevent a person at the sideof the track from being struck by a car and thrown on the track directlyin front of the car.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacriiicingany of the advantages of this invention.

lVhat we vclaim isl. The combination with a car, of a fender composed oftwo sections located in advance of the ear and converging forward fromopposite sides of the car, and the guards or cushions disposed in avertical plane and arranged at the fronts of the sections of the fenderand hinged at their inner ends, to the free ends of the fender sectionsand having their outer ends separated from the body or frame of thesections and adapted to be swung inward, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

2. A fender, composed of two sections arranged at an angle, and eachcomprising a frame, a guard or cushion arranged at an angle to the frameand having its inner end hinged to the same, rods extending from theguard or cushion to the frame and loosely 4mounted on the latter, andprovided with nuts, and spiral springs disposed on the rods andinterposed between the guard or cushion and the frame, and having theirtensions regulated by the nuts, substantially as de-4 tions of thefender are swung outward, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a car, of a fender composed of sections hingedto the car and arranged to swing horizontally, longitudt I nallydisposed levers fulcrumed intermediate of their ends and having theirfront ends connected with the sections of the fender, a spring forswinging the rear ends of the levers inward, and means for setting thelevers and for trippping the same, substan tially as and for the purposedescribed.

5. The combination .with a car, of a fender composed of sectionshingedly connected with the car and arranged to swing horizontally,levers fulcrumed intermediate of their ends and capable of longitudinalmovement and having their front ends connected with the sections, aspring connection between the rear ends of the levers, a transverse rodprovided With stops for engaging the levers for holding the sameseparated, and projections mounted on the levers and arranged, when thelevers are moved longitudinally, to throw the said stops out ofengagement, whereby the levers are tripped, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a car, of a fender composed of sections mountedon the car and arranged to swing horizontally, longitudinally disposedlevers connected at their front ends with the sections and provided attheir rear ends with a spring connection, swiveled IOO IIO

guides receiving and fulcruming the levers, spiral springs disposed onthe levers and arranged in advance of the guides and cushioning therearward movement of the levers, a transverse rod provided with stopsengaging the leversA and holding the same sepa` rated, and projectionsmounted on the levers.

and arranged to throw the stops out of their engagement with the levers,substantially as described.

7. The combination with a car, of a fender composed of sections mountedon the car and arranged to swing horizontally, rods mounted on thesections and disposed horizontally and forming ways, slides mounted onthe rods, longitudinally disposed levers hingedly connected at theirfront ends to said slides, swiveled guides receiving and fulcruming thelevers and located intermediate of the ends thereof, spiral springsdisposed on the front portions of the rods in advance of the guides,collars arranged in rear of the guides and limiting the forward movementof the levers, nuts mounted on the levers and regulating the tensions ofthe springs, a spring connection between the rear ends of the levers, atransverse rod provided with rollers forming stops and arranged toengage the rear ends of the levers, and rollers mounted on the leversand projecting therefrom and located in advance of the rollers of saidrod, substantially as described.

8. The combination of a fender, composed of two sections, hinged attheir outer ends and arranged to swinghorizontally, longitudinallydisposed levers connected with the sections, a spring for actuating thelevers for swinging the section outward, and a transversely disposedscrew having right and left hand threads and carrying nuts arranged toengage the levers for setting the same, substantially as described.

9. The combination of a fender composed of two sections, hinged at theirouter ends and arranged to swing horizontally, spring actuated leversdisposed horizontally and eX- tendinglongitudinally of a car, andconnected at their front ends with the sections and adapted to swinglaterally to throw the sections outward, and means for setting and fortripping the levers, substantially as described.

10. The combination of a fender, composed of two horizontally swingingsections, spring actuated levers connected with and adapted to swing thesections of the fender outward,

an extensible spring provided with a chain designed to be attached tothe brake mech anism of a car, a latch for locking the spring in itsdistended position, and connections between the latch and one of thelevers, whereby when the sections of the fender are swung outward thebrake will be automatically applied, substantially as described.

ll. The combination of a fender, composed of two horizontally swingingsections, spring actuated levers connected with the sections of thefender and adapted to swing the saine outward, a spring adapted to bedistended. a latch connected with one of the levers and adapted toholdthe spring in its distended position, and means for connecting thespring with the brake mechanism of a car and the slide or cut off of asand box, whereby when the fender sections are swung outward the brakewill be automatically applied and the track sanded, substantially asdescribed.

l2. The combination of a guide, a sliding block mounted therein, aspring connected with the sliding block and. adapted to be distended, -alatch composed of two hinged sections and arranged to engage the blockto hold the spring distended, and means for connecting the block with abrake mechanism ot' the car, substantially as described.

'13. The combination of a sliding block, a spring connected with thesame, a latch for engaging the sliding block to hold the springdistended, a chain connected with the sliding block, and a windlassadapted to receive the chain and to have the same wound on it fordist-ending the spring, substantially as described.

14. The combination of a fender composed` of two sections arranged at anangle to each other and hinged at their outer ends for horizontalswinging, the inner ends of the sections being slightly separated, andan eXtension mounted on the inner end of one of the sections andprojecting across the space between the sections, and means for swingingthe sections outward, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto afxedour signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES T. RODGERS. VILLIAM L. CROVSON.

lVitnesses:

B. XV. CAPPs, WV. E. GAY.

IOO

